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Starting plants from seed takes patience, but the payoff is worth it, both in terms of the money you will save and the satisfaction you will feel when you harvest vegetables or cut flowers that you grew from seed. With the right tools and a little know how, starting plants from seeds will soon become your favorite way to garden.

A seed starter kit like the Jiffy all in one seed starter kit is an easy way to start seedlings before he growing season begins. That way, you can have the low cost of starting plants form seed as well as the satisfaction of putting large plants in your garden early in the growing season rather than planting seeds and waiting for them to grow.

The germination rate of the seeds depends on the species and the quality of your seed source. The instructions on the Jiffy kit say to plant three seeds in each plug of soil and then remove the smaller seedlings while letting the larger, stronger ones develop. I usually had all three seeds sprout and let all three seedlings grow. Most of my plants did well, and I see no reason to deliberately kill seedlings. Let them have a chance, since you're going to lose some to bugs, disease, and drought. It never hurts to have "extras".

The seedlings will grow well in the little soil plugs from the kit. They should be left there until their roots are easily visible, protruding from the bottom of the soil plug. Potting a seedling too soon will decrease its chances of survival. Once the seedlings have strong roots and some good upper growth, they can be planted directly in the garden or in a pot. If the plant has outgrown the soil plug before the weather is warm enough to plant outside, you can put it in a pot for now and place it near a west or south facing window. A grow light is a good way to make sure the seedling develops properly.

The tricky part of starting a garden indoors is "hardening off" the seedlings. Before being planted outside, they need to be gradually acclimated to the outdoor conditions. Try taking them out for an hour a day at first. After two or three days, take them out for two hours, then try leaving them out an afternoon. If they wilt or get pale, then cut back on the outside time and let them adapt.

Spray with neem oil, insecticidal soap, or a garden pesticide before you begin bringing your seedlings outdoors. Not only can they themselves become infested, but they can bring bugs in to infest your house plants as well. Always keep plants that have been outdoor quarantined for this reason. Spraying your houseplants is a good precaution as well.

Learn more about this author, Raven Lebeau.
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